Thanks for the post. I hope to never have to use a break stick.. It's good to know that such a thing exist. My older male has attacked another small dog for coming in his yard, I didnt have to do anything but tell him owss..

Well I have to say I dont know so much about the breaking stick. My dog has been in 3 fights, first time I got off second best when using the breaking stick. He simply released and charged again with my arm being first as sight of attack - wasnt quite the effect I was looking for ;-) The other 2 times he was in a fight I simply gripped his skin on the back of his neck and luckily he released. For some reason he also doesnt attack the neck area but instead goes for the other dogs hind leg even though the dogs were nearly twice his size. So I would also not be able to lock my legs around him.

All I can say he sure is a hand full! I have now had to increase my walls from 7ft to 8ft in height.

Adding to that too, some are as cautious as can be, and just because something has not happened yet doesn't mean they should assume they have COMPLETE control over their dog, as that isn't always true, things can go wrong even in the most controlled places

I've seen and had it happen, not always meaning it is the dog owners fault something goes wrong but sometimes things do and you can not prevent them. ^

kksdawglb wrote:I have never had to breakup a fight with someone elses dog involved but when my own dogs are fighting I have taught mine to release on command since they were pups so its instinct for them to do so, but now I know what to do if it ever does happen Thanks.

While thats a good trick to have up your sleeve just in case, do be aware that once a dog is in a full blown emotional response (be it a physical fight or panic attack) they do physically loose the ability to hear you. Their brains effectively become so overwhelmed with adrenaline-like chemicals that your word just don't get through.

thanks for the tip i had also heard putting the water hose in their mouth worked ....but it really makes me angry when people say u gotta hit them or kick them in their privates or ribs to force them to let go it makes me mad

thanks for putting this to my attention, i'll be looking for one real soon and hope i never need it.

Imbatman49 wrote:thanks for the tip i had also heard putting the water hose in their mouth worked ....but it really makes me angry when people say u gotta hit them or kick them in their privates or ribs to force them to let go it makes me mad

there is no excuse for using violence against an animal if we are to stand above them.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but a tried and tested method is to induce a sneeze by sticking a straw / hay grass up their nose, when they sneeze, and they will get ready to pull them apart,A nice tip to have up your sleeve and no need to carry a stick around

Buster35 wrote:I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but a tried and tested method is to induce a sneeze by sticking a straw / hay grass up their nose, when they sneeze, and they will get ready to pull them apart,A nice tip to have up your sleeve and no need to carry a stick around

Mark & Buster

??? That works? (I'm trying to imagine sticking grass or hay into a dog's nostril while he's fighting... Think I'd rather have a breaking stick. But, maybe something like a cloud of baby powder or flour could induce a sneeze, without needing the precision of sticking grass into a nostril??)

Great reading here. I just had my first dog park hold. My Staffy locked on an aggressive mix that had a muzzle on. I posted a reply in the dog park thread. I actually used my hands to get her off but it was probably a combination of me immobilizing her back end and choking her a little. I do want to believe she let go when I asked her and stared her down. Guess no more dog parks for me until she gets 100% on the recall.

blip wrote:Great reading here. I just had my first dog park hold. [...]

First, and last I hope!

A bombproof recall can help, sure...... but what if the other dog is already chewing on your dog's neck?

On walks, I carry a breaking stick and spare leashes with snaplinks on the handle end. I've never needed them (knock wood), but it's better to have and not need than to need and not have. And I don't go to off-leash dog parks at all. Two of our dogs are too ill behaved. The other three would play happily, but I don't want to risk them having bad experiences with somebody else's ill-behaved dogs.

I walk my 3 dogs almost every day on leash. I have 2 yorkie mix and my Pit/Cur 73lb mix. Recently a neighbors dog who looks to have a bit of Pit in him walked up to my dog. I had seen this dog numerous times and he had never seemed aggressive so I thought he was just going to smell, check my dog out and they would be friends. Well put his nose up close and the next thing I know he has lunged at my dog and is going for him. My dog was much bigger and lunged back and knocked him off. The dog came back at my dog again. Here I am with 3 dogs on leashes my 2 little ones I'm worried will get caught up in this, trying to drag my dogs away but my Pit is way too strong for me to drag him away and he was not going to turn his back on that dog. The dog came at my dog again and after the 3rd time I started screaming at the dog and kicking toward him. Luckily a nice man driving down the street stopped and helped. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Luckily neither dog was hurt. Looking back I should have never let that dog get close to my dog. I don't know if it would of worked but I could of tried to holler and scare him off?? The girl that owned the dog just stood there the whole time and did nothing. I guess I need to get some mace as the police suggested in case the dog ever comes around again when we are walking. Of course the police can do nothing because there are no leash laws and they said they won't do anything unless a dog attacks a person. My bf said I should of just let my dog off his leash. I was just trying to keep my dogs from getting hurt. Ever since this event happened though my dog has shown aggression to 2 black dogs in the neighborhood. I have taken him to dog day care 2 days this week and he did wonderful. Played with all the dogs just fine. He is usually very easy going relaxed and has never been aggressive before this attack on him happened. It seems now when we go on walks he is on high alert. Any suggestions?